Community Corner
AAA Offers 'Tipsy Tows' for July 4th Holiday
The program offers impaired drivers a free ride home for themselves and their cars.
For the 15th straight year, the Automobile Club of Southern California will offer its free Tipsy Tow service for intoxicated drivers during the Fourth of July holiday.
A free tow home of up to seven miles will be available by calling 800-400-4222 and telling the operator, "I need a Tipsy Tow," according to an Auto Club statement.
The service, which employs regular Auto Club-contracted roadside service
companies, is available in 13 Southern California counties, including Los Angeles County. It will be available from 6 p.m. Tuesday until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.
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The Tipsy Tow service is restricted to a one-way, one-time ride home for the driver; passengers are not allowed, according to the Auto Club. Reservations will not be accepted, and drivers whose cars are towed further than seven miles must pay the rate charged by the tow truck contractor.
"It only takes one or two drinks to slow physical and mental skills that affect vision, steering, braking judgement and reaction time," said Auto Club senior researcher Steve Bloch. He noted that the California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies will run sobriety checkpoints and extra patrols to look for intoxicated drivers during the holiday period.
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Nearly 200,000 drivers were arrested for driving while intoxicated in California in 2010, the last year for which results are available, and a recent survey found that 14 percent of motorists admitted to driving at least once in the past year when they felt they were probably over the legal limit, according to the Auto Club.
"This is entirely preventable," Bloch said.
Nicole Mooradian also contributed to this report.
